iOS 15: Cellular Data Not Working On iPhone and iPad? The Real Fix!

Apple’s new iOS 15 has been released to the public, and while many users are enjoying the new features and improvements, others are experiencing problems. One of the most common issues is that cellular data isn’t working on iPhone or iPad. Don’t worry, though – we’re here to help!

The typical symptoms of Cellular Data Not Working on iPhone or iPad

• Could not activate cellular data network. Your cellular data icon is grayed out or not appearing at all. You can only access data through Wi-Fi.
• You are unable to browse the internet. Your internet is very slow, or not working at all.
• Cellular Update Failed: You’re unable to make/receive phone calls or send/receive text messages (SMS) or access cellular data until your iOS devices have been updated.

This is only a subset of the possible error messages that you might receive.

Why this might happen

Your cellular data may be out because of a variety of factors. It could be a lack of mobile internet coverage or a poor connection in your area altogether, a physical problem with your iOS device or SIM, a system bug after an update, or simple forgetfulness to turn off the Airplane Mode.

How to Fix Cellular Data Not Working problem on iOS 15

Now let’s look at these easy steps you can take to fix the “cellular data not working” problem on your iPhone or iPad for good.

Disable and Enable Cellular Data

If cellular data isn’t working on your iPhone or iPad, the first thing you should do is disable and then enable it. Here’s how:

1. Go to Settings and tap Cellular.
2. Under Cellular Data Options, tap the switch to turn it off.
3. If it’s off, toggle the switch to turn it on.

Turn Airplane Mode on and off

The next thing you should try is turning airplane mode on and off. To do this, go to Settings > Airplane Mode and toggle the switch to the “on” position. After a few seconds, switch it back to “off” and see if your cellular data starts working again.

Restart your device

Restarting your device will clear out any temporary issues that may be causing a connection problem and hopefully get your cellular data up and running again.

Simply hold down the power button and slide to power off. After a few seconds, turn your device back on and see if the problem is resolved.

Take out your SIM card and put it back in

If the above solutions don’t work, you can try taking out your SIM card and putting it back in. This simple solution often does the trick! To do this, follow these steps:

1. As shown above power your device off.
2. Using a SIM tool or any alternative, open the cover of your iPhone or iPad SIM tray.
3. Remove your SIM card and set it aside.
4. Reinsert your SIM card and close the tray.
5. Turn your device back on.

Your network may be down or your Sim card may have become damaged. If this is the case, contact your service provider and request a replacement SIM.

Check date and time settings

Sometimes, if the date and time settings are not set correctly, it can cause problems with cellular data. To fix it, just go to Settings > General > Date & Time and make sure that the date and time are set correctly. If they’re not, tap on the “Set Automatically” toggle to turn it on.

If that doesn’t fix the problem, move on to the next tip!

Check for a carrier settings update

Another thing you can try is checking for a carrier settings update. These updates are released by your carrier in order to improve cellular data performance or to fix bugs. To check for an update, go to Settings > General > About and wait to see if there’s an update available. If there is, follow the on-screen instructions to install it.

Disable LTE

If you’re not getting any cellular data at all, one thing you can try is disabling LTE on your device. To do this, go to Settings and tap Cellular Data. From there, turn off the switch next to Enable LTE/4G.

This will likely cause your connection to be a bit slower, but it can help you get back online in situations where none of your other connections are working properly.

Turn Off VPN

If your iPhone or iPad isn’t connecting to the internet or cellular data, the first thing you should try is turning off your VPN. To do this, go to Settings > VPN and toggle the switch off. Once you’ve done that, try connecting to the internet again. If it still doesn’t work, move on to the next step.

Update your iPhone/iPad to the latest version

Chances are good that if you are having this connection problem, there may be a bug in an earlier version of iOS that has been fixed in the latest update.

Note: Apple strongly recommends that you back up your iPhone and iPad using iCloud or your computer before installing any software update.

To check for updates, open the Settings app on your device and tap on General. From there, tap on Software Update and if there is an update available, download and install it. Once your device is up to date, try connecting to cellular data again.

Reset your Network Settings

If you’ve tried all of the above solutions and your cellular data is still not working, you may want to try resetting your Network Settings. This will reset ALL of your network settings, including your Wi-Fi settings and VPN & APN settings. To do this,

For iOS or iPadOS 15 or later, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset and tap on “Reset Network Settings.”

For iOS or iPadOS 14 or earlier, go to Settings > General > Reset and tap on “Reset Network Settings.”

Contact your carrier

Sometimes there may be an issue with your account or service that only your carrier can help you fix. It’s time to reach out to them. They may be able to help you troubleshoot the problem or even provide a replacement SIM card.

Get help from Apple

If none of the solutions above have worked, you may need to get help from Apple. There are a few ways to do this:

• You can also make a Genius Bar appointment at your local Apple Store.
• You can also contact Apple Support online or over the phone at 1-800-MY-APPLE (1-800-692-7753).
• Take your device into an Apple Authorized Service Provider.

Cellular Data Not Working? Problem fixed

After trying all of the solutions listed above, your iPhone or iPad cellular data should be working again. So you can once again surf the internet and send texts using wireless data! You’ll be able to find the solution the next time iPhone Cellular Data isn’t working. Thanks for reading!

Did another solution work that we did not mention? Please leave a comment and tell us what happened!